Skip to main content
robodelfy
robodelfy
Known Participant
July 17, 2018
Question

Moving RAW photos to external hard drives, keeping edits. Strategy?

  • July 17, 2018
  • 3 replies
  • 6519 views

Hi

I've read quite a few posts, but haven't found the answer to my particular query. I am just sorting out a new setup/backup strategy so needed some advice

I work on RAW photos on my MacBook Pro, and I have a 1tb internal SSD so I have space for working projects. But when I finish a project, I will export the best photos, and then plan to move the RAW files to two portable HDD's for backup.  When these eventually get full, I will move on to two new drives, and the old ones will go into storage.

My question is, what is the best way to keep my edits with my photos. I know my catalogue can link to photos on any drive. But I wonder if eventually I end up in a situation where all I have is the HDD's, and maybe I lose my catalogue, or its corrupted. It would be nice to have something on the backup drives with the actual RAW files which has the edits.

I know you can also have the xmp files next to the RAWs so the edits are with it, but this creates a lot of clutter. Are there any drawbacks to this?

Thanks, any help would be great

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    3 replies

    robodelfy
    robodelfyAuthor
    Known Participant
    July 18, 2018

    Thanks everyone

    Well I just need to decide if I will save the XMP files as well, as it is clear I need to backup and mainly look after the catalogue.

    robodelfy
    robodelfyAuthor
    Known Participant
    July 17, 2018

    Thanks for everyones answers. So the catalogue file can be considered a safe way to save all your edits long term? It just feels a bit strange to save every edit Ive ever done on all my photos in a single file even if I do back it up! But maybe its fine

    So most of you don't use the XMP files? I wouldn't personally mind about the history etc. I would just want the photo to look as it did when I left it. Do XMPs take up any space or is it negligible?

    It would be nice for my catalogue not to get out of control with loads of old photos I likely will not go back to once I have exported the best ones

    Thanks for the advice

    Bob Somrak
    Bob Somrak
    Legend
    July 17, 2018

    I have 1 XMP that is 232kb but most are around 30kb.   I consider it negligible.  There are issues with small files and disk space.  Things may have changed but it used to be that 1000 30kb files take up a lot more disk space than one 30MB file due to the way file space is allocated on the disk so all these XMP files will use more disk than expected.  As far as I am concerned disk space, especially backup spinner drives, is cheap so I never worry about that.  As dj_paige​ and JohanEl54 said, all the catalog info is not saved in the XMP files but to me I don't care about flags, collections and history and several others as long as I can get back the metadata and especially the edits in the case of disaster.  VC's are the exception but I have a workaround for that as stated above.  I do not save XMP for every file, usually only my FINAL edits. This is because I have had good luck with catalogs and catalog backups but the option to have another backup, even if "partial" doesn't hurt.

    M4 Pro Mac Mini. 48GB
    dj_paige
    dj_paige
    Legend
    July 17, 2018

    Follow the instructions in this document under "Part 2 — Updating Folder Location". Make sure to keep your folder hierarchy the same when you copy the photos to the external drive; resist the temptation to move photos and folders around.

    http://www.computer-darkroom.com/lr2_find_folder/find-folder.htm

    Also, unless you are traveling and using a laptop, import the photos directly onto your external hard disk instead of the internal hard disk. This saves you time and effort, since you won't have to move them later.

    But I wonder if eventually I end up in a situation where all I have is the HDD's, and maybe I lose my catalogue, or its corrupted. It would be nice to have something on the backup drives with the actual RAW files which has the edits.

    This is entirely unrelated to the rest of your question. You need to make regular and automated backups of your catalog file (using the built-in catalog backup procedure in Lightroom) and regular and automated backups of your photos. All backups MUST (not optional) be on a different disk than the originals.

      robodelfy
      robodelfyAuthor
      Known Participant
      July 17, 2018

      Hi yes I understand how to move them. Im not sure my question was understood.

      I would like to back finished projects up which I am unlikely to need to go back to, unless in many years I may want to, in which case I would like my edits to be there still with the RAW files

      JohanElzenga
      Community Expert
      JohanElzengaCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 17, 2018

      lecomputer  wrote

      Hi yes I understand how to move them. Im not sure my question was understood.

      I would like to back finished projects up which I am unlikely to need to go back to, unless in many years I may want to, in which case I would like my edits to be there still with the RAW files

      As long as you don't remove the photos from your catalog (and there is no compelling reason to do so), your edits will be retained in the catalog.

      -- Johan W. Elzenga
        Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
        Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices